A US commander has described the fresh wave of attacks in Iraq's volatile Diyala province as a change of tactics by the al-Qaeda militants. "As far as an upsurge in attacks, we have not seen that. What we have seen is some instances of different types of attacks," said Major-General Mark Hertling commander of forces in northern Iraq in reference to the use of suicide vests and "desperate" attacks against neighborhood police units. "Additionally, because of reduced attacks in other areas, the attacks in Diyala province may appear to be more than what existed in the past," Reuters quoted him as saying. Religiously and ethnically mixed Diyala has become one of the epicenters of violence in Iraq after al Qaeda and other fighters were squeezed out of western Anbar province, Baghdad and other areas by security crackdowns this year. "But the bottom line is that (al Qaeda in Iraq) and other extremists continue to try and affect the security situation in Diyala province ... Coalition forces and Iraqi security forces ... will continue to pursue them there and in the other northern provinces," he concluded.